# storage of tobacco



## veteranvmb (Aug 6, 2009)

Greeting to all. 

Over the last year or so, I have developed my passion for pipes and now smoke a pipe between my cigars. LOL
I have developed quite a sampling of different pipe tobaccos, from an ounce or so, to a pound, of many different varieties. 
I want to set up a "tobacco display" on top of my cabinet humidors. 
Heres the question?

I want to put them in aporthecary or canning or mason type jars. I like the looks of apothecary jars, but was wondering which type of jar would be best for the tobacco. The all come in all sorts of sizes to fit my needs, and the prices I see are real cheap on amazon. 

Which type is best for the tobacco. I see some of them have like a metal hinge thing, which crosses over the top of jar, to create a great seal. I like them, but I like the looks of the apotecary even better. I know the pipe lounges use them, but how does it keep the tobacco, especailly if it is only partially filled? 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

Also, a suggestion, on maybee what kind of labels can I buy to have a space on the jar, to maybe identify the contents and the date, and maybee a little remembrance on it, to how I acquired the tobacco, and maybe evern the price. 

Much thanks Jerr


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

For long term storage, I use mason jars. But so that I don't have to open the mason jar each time I want a bowl, I put about 3 oz of my bulk blends into little candy-type jars I get from Wal-mart. They have rubber seals in them and will keep the tobacco fresh for about 3-4 months. Hint: If you do this, get jars with wide mouths so you can still get your hand in when you have to reach for the last vestiges of tobacco.


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## Jack Straw (Nov 20, 2008)

I like the Ball Widemouths, half pint or pint size.


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## commonsenseman (Apr 18, 2008)

Ball widemouth jars for me too. I use a variety of sizes & shapes, but mostly the smaller the better as far as I'm concerned.

Here's an example of the labels that come with some of them, otherwise I just use a sharpie & write on the lid.


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## Steel Talon (Mar 2, 2010)

veteranvmb said:


> Greeting to all.
> 
> Over the last year or so, I have developed my passion for pipes and now smoke a pipe between my cigars. LOL
> I have developed quite a sampling of different pipe tobaccos, from an ounce or so, to a pound, of many different varieties.
> ...


For display the apothecary jars will look alot nicer Walmart has several size rubber gasketed types for a couple bucks each.

For cellaring you can beat the wide mouth canning jars. Available at Walmart I like the 1/2 pint sizes hold 2oz nicely and the pint jar sizes. I found that Kerr also make a smaller sized jar that will hold one once perfectly I use these for my daily openers for pipe smoking

As for labels all canning jars come with a set. However Walmart or Staples office supply will have a selection of Avey labels that you can write on or run through your printer.


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## dukeofbluz (Dec 16, 2009)

I use the short fat 8 oz jars for most tobacco, qts and pint for stuff I bulked up on. To make the most use of my space I built "steps" on my shelves out of Styrofoam insulation and wood grain self adhesive drawer liner. Kinda cheap but with the jars on it, who knows?
Duke


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## commonsenseman (Apr 18, 2008)

OMG, that is a thing of beauty.


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## Jack Straw (Nov 20, 2008)

Amazing.


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## Jessefive (Oct 21, 2009)

That is a really awesome setup. I'm imagining you have a second similar closet filled with pipes!!

And, oh yea, back on topic: +1 for mason jars...


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## FriarWhently (May 3, 2010)

Damn. I could do nothing but just sit here mumble expletives to myself for a minute. That's one hell of a setup.


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## Daggers62 (Jun 3, 2010)

Is it just me or is there a degree of 'wrongness' about that image?? ... probably just me


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## Agar066 (Oct 11, 2006)

Duke (or anyone with their own methods),

Do you boil or otherwise sterilize the jars before you fill them? If so, could you share your method?

Thanks much.

Agar


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## Hermit (Aug 5, 2008)

Beautiful display!

(*But*...for long term storage I keep my jars in the dark.)


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## Hermit (Aug 5, 2008)

Agar066 said:


> Duke (or anyone with their own methods),
> 
> Do you boil or otherwise sterilize the jars before you fill them? If so, could you share your method?
> 
> ...


Mine just go in the dishwasher.
I wash the lids separately though, so the
rubber gaskets don't go through heat dry.


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## Zeabed (Apr 23, 2009)

That display setup reminds me of another masterpiece, the underground terracotta army found buried in China. A similar stately majesty. And much more conducive to peace and relaxation.


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## dukeofbluz (Dec 16, 2009)

As for washing the new jars, it is not needed.
I ran my own test at work to make sure.

You are looking for a RLU # less then 1000























































*I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE THINKING!

THE TEST DON'T WORK RIGHT?

WELL LETS TRY A MOUSE!
*


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

Daggers62 said:


> Is it just me or is there a degree of 'wrongness' about that image?? ... probably just me


Yes, tobacco should never be stored in the same room with plastic cows.


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## Agar066 (Oct 11, 2006)

Thanks, Hermit, for sharing your jar cleaning method.

Duke: I can't believe how very nearly sterile those Ball half-pint jars tested as!!!!!!!!!!!
They (Ball/Kerr) should market them as such. I am going to go to my local Acme supermarket that has a giant Ball/Kerr seasonal canning display and buy a ludicrous amount of jars!!!

Much thanks,

Agar


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## dukeofbluz (Dec 16, 2009)

Daggers62 said:


> Is it just me or is there a degree of 'wrongness' about that image?? ... probably just me


Whats wrong?


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## dukeofbluz (Dec 16, 2009)

Hermit said:


> Beautiful display!
> 
> (*But*...for long term storage I keep my jars in the dark.)


Thank you, 
all my cellared tobacco is in QT jars in a cupboard, everything is in my basement, no windows and only see's light when im down there smoking.


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## veteranvmb (Aug 6, 2009)

thanks to all that have responded. I am going to go with the ball widemouths. They are easy to obtain and inexpersive and variously sized. And darn, what a collection you have. I would love to stand and front and just open each jar and take a sniff. I swear, I do that with my humidors and I would do it with your pipe tobacco. Nice collection. When I am done I will post a more modest collection, of perhaps 15 tobaccos. I now have tobacco envy, and feel inadequate. LOL

Much regards Jerry


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## Mike2147 (Jun 24, 2010)

Nice collection and great info. My local Ace carries the wide mouths.


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

I was inspired by this thread; had to grab a case of those widemouths, just to use for open tobacco. Hopefully I can get over my 'too many tins are open' panic now!


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## tonkingulf (Jul 10, 2010)

How many ounces can you typically fit into a wide-mouth jar?


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## laloin (Jun 29, 2010)

one suggestion I may make on the mason jars, check freecycle and other sites. to see if anybody is dumping jars since they are not canning anymore
be amazed at what you can get for next to nothing 
troy


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## RJpuffs (Jan 27, 2008)

tonkingulf said:


> How many ounces can you typically fit into a wide-mouth jar?


In the small wide-mouth, 2oz loose cut or upto 4oz flakes (depending on flake size/dimensions). The taller wide-mouths can hold 4oz loose cut or upto 8oz of flakes, again depending on how good you are in Tetris. There are larger jar obviously, but they may be too big.


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## dukeofbluz (Dec 16, 2009)

tonkingulf said:


> How many ounces can you typically fit into a wide-mouth jar?


just multiply by 4

2 oz tobacco = 8 oz (1/2 pint) jar

4 oz tobacco = 16 oz (pint) jar

1 lb tobacco (16 oz) = 2 QT jars (64 oz )

your results may vary

Duke


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## tonkingulf (Jul 10, 2010)

Thanks, multiply by 4 is easy to remember. I can see myself needing these sometime soon.


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## Ben.Reilly (Jun 21, 2010)

I've been using mason jars for a while now. They are the kind with the metal clasp that pushes the lid down. I would bet that they are not 100% air tight, but they do the job. I also try to keep the tobacco inside a plastic zip lock bag inside the jar for extra freshness.

I have thought about upgrading to the twist on lids for better freshness, but I got these jars from my grandfather a while ago, so they have some sentimental value.


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## mbearer (Jun 2, 2010)

dukeofbluz said:


> just multiply by 4
> 
> 2 oz tobacco = 8 oz (1/2 pint) jar
> 
> ...


This is about what I have been getting on the loose stuff... Sometimes I REALLY pack it in there tight and get almost 6oz to a pint jar but it's alot of work 

But like Ron said, flakes get alot more weight in.. LTF and LBF I get 8oz of them per Pint and still some room on the sides free.

So far the Mason Jars are working great too. I have two boxes of them under the stairs of different bulk blends I have stuffed in them and I have a couple that are out on my work bench that I use day to day and they are staying perfect. 
Mike


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## RJpuffs (Jan 27, 2008)

mbearer said:


> This is about what I have been getting on the loose stuff... Sometimes I REALLY pack it in there tight and get almost 6oz to a pint jar but it's alot of work
> 
> But like Ron said, flakes get alot more weight in.. LTF and LBF I get 8oz of them per Pint and still some room on the sides free.
> 
> ...


Flakes are, by nature, compressed. Depending on the blend/cut/size, a flake can be 1.5 to 2.0 times smaller in volume than a comparable weight of loose cut. Also since the jar is round, the width/length/elasticity of the flakes limit how much you can fit in, ergo the tetris comparison. I have actually managed to stuff an entire 8.75oz (250gm) baggie of SG St.James Flake into a pint jar - since I cut the massive bulk flakes into exactly the dimensions required and it was rubbery (wet) enough to shape, it fit perfectly. With PS LNF I only got 6oz into the same size jar, and PS LTF upto 7oz since the square pegs fit better into the round jar :wacko: the PS flakes are more fragile I didn't want to ding them.


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## WWhermit (Nov 30, 2008)

Ben.Reilly said:


> I've been using mason jars for a while now. They are the kind with the metal clasp that pushes the lid down. I would bet that they are not 100% air tight, but they do the job. I also try to keep the tobacco inside a plastic zip lock bag inside the jar for extra freshness.
> 
> I have thought about upgrading to the twist on lids for better freshness, but I got these jars from my grandfather a while ago, so they have some sentimental value.


Those types of jars are not air tight at all, and would not recommend them for tobacco you do not plan to use past 2 weeks.

The twist on canning mason jars are what everyone here uses and recommends for storage and aging of tobacco.

WWhermit
ipe:


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## CWL (Mar 25, 2010)

Ben.Reilly said:


> I've been using mason jars for a while now. They are the kind with the metal clasp that pushes the lid down. I would bet that they are not 100% air tight, but they do the job. I also try to keep the tobacco inside a plastic zip lock bag inside the jar for extra freshness.
> 
> I have thought about upgrading to the twist on lids for better freshness, but I got these jars from my grandfather a while ago, so they have some sentimental value.


These are also called "bail top" jars. Since they are from your Grandfather's time, I would suggest that you at least replace the rubber gaskets on them with modern silicone ones to improve the seal.


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## Ben.Reilly (Jun 21, 2010)

CWL said:


> These are also called "bail top" jars. Since they are from your Grandfather's time, I would suggest that you at least replace the rubber gaskets on them with modern silicone ones to improve the seal.


As mentioned, I keep the tobacco is the plastic ziplock bag they come in for extra freshness. I place the bags in the jars for extra protection, however it is more for organization. I've been doing it this way for a while now and it seems to be working well. Keeping it in the bag makes it easier for packing the pipe also.


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